Others

Many turn Dalits for entrance test

It is now official. Hundreds of candidates in general and other backward class categories who have applied for this year’s state entrance examinations have illegally availed of the reservation benefits of SC/ST category using bogus caste certificates. The vigilance cell of the Kerala Institute for Research, Training and Development Studies of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (KIRTADS) has confirmed 659 cases of forgery.

The probe was carried out after the office of the Commissioner for Entrance Examinations sought a report on many suspicious applicants.

Significantly, according to the vigilance cell of KIRTADS, 882 such cases were found during 2011-12 and the report was submitted to the CEE. However, action was taken only in three cases last year. Owing to official’s apathy, thousands of students are enjoying the benefits of scheduled communities using bogus caste certificates.

Sources with Scheduled Caste Development Department maintained that complaints reported since 1996 regarding fraudulent SC/ST certificates are pending before a scrutiny committee headed by secretary, SC Development Department.

Scrutiny committee chairperson Sumana N Menon told Express that they could not take action in a sudden manner as a thorough probe is necessary.

According to officials in KIRTADS, most bogus certificates are procured by using lacunae in similar caste denominations, resemblance of traditional occupations, entry of wrong caste denomination in the census, reporting of denomination falsely at the time of admission to school and bogus certificate secured from non-revenue officials. “In many cases, bogus caste certificates were obtained in the name of Paravan, Thandan, Malayarayan Christian, Vettuva and Nayadi comunities,” said one of the officials.

BSP state president S Prahladan said this practice has been in existence for long. “This deprives admission to a genuine scheduled caste candidate. This is happening even as many genuine SC/ST candidates are denied caste certificates by village officers,” he added.